Mask of Death (1996)
Somewhat better than you'd expect
19 September 2009
There are two things about "Mask Of Death" that will probably throw off a lot of potential viewers. The first is that this is a Canadian film, and the second is that it's a Lorenzo Lamas film. With each of those kind of films, quality is hard to find at times, so a combination of the two may sound deadly.

However, I found the film to be surprisingly watchable. The production values are definitely above average. While the movie never looks lavish, it is acceptably slick-looking and never looks seriously cheap. There is also some camera work that you usually don't get in a movie like this.

The plot will seem familiar to a number of viewers, but it's handled in an acceptable fashion, never being executed in a way that will make viewers groan. The hero does face a number of complications, and they are handled believably. The plot is also handled in a tougher than average way - there is some effective brutal violence that gives this telling of the story a hard edge.

As for Lamas... most of the movie has his character acting in a cold and detached way, so his unemotional way of acting actually fits a lot of the time. However, I will admit that when his character does have to show strong emotion (like rage), Lamas is very bad. But this was a minor quibble; I was never bored by the movie, and it passed the time well. It may not be a movie to seek out, but on a lazy weekend it will do its job.
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